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Sony has begun rolling out another update for its BRAVIA TVs. This time it’s not about new features but mainly about fixing bugs that appeared after earlier updates. For several months, users have been reporting, among other things, problems with Dolby Vision and audio sync over HDMI.
Problems with Dolby Vision
The issues affect models with the MediaTek Pentonic 1000 chipset that have been updated from Android 12 to Android 14. Models include, among others, Sony A95L, BRAVIA 9 and 9 II, BRAVIA 8 and 8 II, BRAVIA 7 and 7 II, and BRAVIA 5. One of the first major bugs was a black screen when playing Dolby Vision from devices connected over HDMI. Sony fixed it in the August firmware v114.602.170.1, although some users still experience flickering lines with Dolby Vision.
Audio out of sync with the picture
The sound problems proved even more troublesome. BRAVIA owners started reporting that when using HDMI sources the audio gradually drifts out of sync with the picture. In one of the larger Reddit threads the owner of an 85-inch BRAVIA 9 described delays reaching up to 1 to 2 seconds, as well as occasional audio dropouts over eARC that required restarting the TV. Other users reported similar problems.
Sony has now released firmware v114.603.100.1 intended to fix the picture-to-sound sync issue. The update has started rolling out to TVs in North America and should reach Europe soon. Early user reports suggest an improvement, though it's still hard to say whether the problem has been completely resolved.
Importantly, not all bugs may have been eliminated yet. FlatpanelsHD notes there may still be audio dropouts over HDMI eARC and the aforementioned flickering lines in Dolby Vision. The whole situation is rather unusual: Sony's move to Android 14 brought a few new features, but at the same time the manufacturer has for several months been steadily addressing problems that appeared after that update.
Source: What Hi-Fi?, FlatPanelsHD, Reddit, Sony Support
